Wahoo Lures and Trolling Speeds: How to Catch Wahoo

Wahoo are among the fastest fish in the ocean. The first run after a wahoo strike is something every ski boat angler remembers. They have a long, slim body, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and they hit lures hard. Here's how to find them and what to put in the water.

Where to find wahoo

Wahoo are found in warm, blue water. In South Africa they're most common on the northern KZN coast, around Sodwana and St Lucia, and further up into Mozambique. Look for:

• Drop-offs and deep reef edges, where the bottom falls away quickly
• Pinnacles and deep reefs that hold baitfish
• Warm, clean water, especially when a warm current pushes in
• Bait on the fish finder, along with birds working over deeper water

Wahoo are usually found alone or in small groups, so cover lots of ground until you find them.

Trolling speed and which lures to use

Wahoo are fast enough to catch anything, and a faster-moving lure triggers reaction strikes. Troll at the top of the range: 10 to 12 km/h, up to 15 km/h.

Guzz lures on the surface. Our lipless Guzz lures, the Kingi and the Orange King, are top swimmers made for trolling at relatively high speeds. They run near the surface, where wahoo slash at baitfish.

180mm and 220mm diving minnows underneath. The bigger minnows dive 5m+ and swim at the same 10 to 15 km/h, so you can run them in the same spread as the Guzz lures. The wahoo in the photo above was caught on a Purple Mack diving minnow at St Lucia.

Leave the 140mm minnows for slower trolling. They swim best at 6 to 9 km/h and will roll or skip at wahoo speeds.

A good approach is to cover a lot of ground along drop-offs and reef edges with a mixed spread of Guzz lures and big minnows, then work the area once you've had a strike or found bait.

Best colours for wahoo

Wahoo often hit darker colours that show up as a strong shape against the light:

• Purple and pink. Purple is one of the best-known wahoo colours. The Purple Mack has a strong record for us.
• Dark lures. The Zulu and Blood Pearl give a dark silhouette that wahoo hunt from below.
• Natural and copper. The Kingi and Orange King Guzz lures have natural and copper patterns that look like fleeing baitfish at speed.

Run a mix of dark and natural colours until you see what the fish prefer that day.

Always use wire

Wahoo teeth cut through nylon and even heavy fluorocarbon in an instant. Always use a wire trace. Many anglers use a heavier cable trace on the Guzz lures, since strikes at speed are violent. With diving minnows, use a shorter and lighter trace so the lure still swims properly.

Tips for landing more wahoo

• Set the drag before you troll. The first run is extremely fast. A drag that's too tight can pull hooks or break line.
• Keep the boat moving after a strike for a few seconds, then slow down and fight the fish.
• Watch for other wahoo. When you hook one, others are sometimes nearby. Keep a second line in the water.
• Gaff with care. Wahoo have dangerous teeth and can shake violently at the boat.

Quick wahoo checklist

• Warm water, drop-offs, deep reefs and pinnacles
• Troll at 10 to 12 km/h, up to 15 km/h
• Guzz lures on the surface, 180mm or 220mm diving minnows underneath
• Purples, pinks, darks and natural patterns
• Always a wire trace

Not sure whether to use a minnow or a Guzz? Read diving minnow vs lipless Guzz lure.